Mobile celebrates the dynamic art of clay

The week ahead will bring a special group of artists to the Port City when the Alabama Clay Conference (http://alclayconference.org) opens Feb. 17 and runs through Feb. 20 at several venues throughout the Mobile-Baldwin area.

Ground Zero will be the nonprofit Centre for the Living Arts, and activities are planned for Space 301, the historic Saenger Theatre and Room 1927 at Art Off Centre.

Organizer Tony Wright, an artist and a member of the University of South Alabama arts faculty, says that highlights include presenter demonstrations and slide shows by Christa Assad, Chris Gustin and Misty Gamble. All three will create artwork on the stage of the Saenger.

Assad and Gustin will be doing wheel work; Gustin also will be create some larger pots; Gamble will be doing one of her figurative busts. (See the Web site above for dates and times of the demonstrations.)

"Twisted Sister" by Scott Bennett. (Courtesy Mobile Arts Council)

Room 1927 at AOC will house vendors providing educational materials and displaying tools and equipment of interest to those who work in clay. Sunday will be open-house day at the Mobile Museum of Art, which will display ceramics and crafts from its permanent collection; and USA, where glass instructor Rene Culler and her students will demonstrate glass-blowing.

Kickoff for the 2011 Alabama Clay Conference will be 3 until 8 p.m. Feb. 17 in Fairhope. Check in for the conference will take place at the Eastern Shore Art Center, 401 Oak St. Information, call 251-928-2228.

Host Gallery will show artwork by Charles Smith, Lydia Harsany Host and Rebecca Wood. The Windows at Soul Kitchen will feature music-inspired clay work by local artists. Iota/Lunatix will have Zach DePolo and his students, and thesis work by Courtney Gordon.

ARTNOTES: Eva Golson of the Mobile Film Office informed Charlie Smoke of the Mobile Arts Council that Authentic Entertainment (http://www.authentictv.com) would film portions of the Feb. 11 LoDa Artwalk and the inaugural Second Line Marathon that was scheduled to hit the streets between Bienville Square and Cathedral Square.

The company also plans to film at Southern Fish & Oyster and Queen G’s Café, and to film some of the fishermen in Bayou La Batre.

Ainsley McNeely of Mobile recently won the award for Best Work By A First Time Entrant for her oil painting titled “Who’s There?” in the 36th annual International Miniature Art Show in Dunedin, Fla. The show ran Jan. 9-30.

McNeely’s painting measures 3½ by 5 inches. The juried exhibit featured more than 800 works by 213 artists, and included miniature paintings, scrimshaw, fired porcelain and sculpture. Magnifying glasses were available for viewers to better admire the artwork on view.

Templeton Gallery in Midtown will exhibit “Mobilia,” artwork by Mobile native Will Wright, March 13-31 at 1810 Old Shell Road next to the Dew Drop Inn. An opening reception will be 3-5 p.m. March 13.

The collection is a series of collages Wright created from vintage postcards depicting Mobile from 1905 until the early 1960s. The artwork will remain on view through March 31.